Holder and dispenser for longitudinally disposed material



9, 1966 D. L. EDWARDS 3,265,201

HOLDER AND DISPENSER FOR LONGITUDINALLY DISPOSED MATERIAL Filed Feb. 24,1964 I INVENTOR. DAVID L.. EDWARDS United States Patent 3,265,201HQJLDER AND DISEENSER FQR LQNGETUDI- NALLY DISPOSED MATERIAL David L.Edwards, 679 S. Westlake Ave, Los Angeles, Calif. 99057 lFiied Feb. 24,1964, Ser. No. 346,779 8 Claims. (Cl. 206-56) Generally speaking, thepresent invention relates to a holder and dispenser for longitudinallydisposed material and, more particularly, in one exemplary form of theinvention, the longitudinally disposed material may be in the form of alongitudinal applicatory member which is adapted to be applied to somesurface for any of various purposes. In certain forms of the invention,the longitudinal applicatory member may etfectively comprise a markingmember adapted to have its forward end forcibly applied to any suitablesurface for marking same and, in this particular form of the invention,the device may be said to effectively comprise a writing instrument.However, it should be clearly noted that the invention is not limited tosuch a writing instrument form thereof, but may comprise a holder anddispenser for longitudinally disposed material intended for use in avariety of ways other than for writing or marking purposes, and thespecific description of the exemplary form of the invention describedhereinafter should be broadly construed in this way.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present inventionto provide a novel holder and dispenser for longitudinally disposedmaterial, comprising barrel means provided with a lengthy aperture orpassage therein adapted to receive longitudinally disposed materialtherein and also adapted to receive a material follower and pusher meansbehind said longitudinally disposed material for forcibledigitally-caused movement of said material follower and pusher meansforwardly (but not rearwardly) whereby to feed the longitudinallydisposed material toward a forwardly located material-dispensing outletcommunicating with said lengthy aperture or passage in said barrelmeans. i

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device ofthe character referred to in the preceding object, wherein the provisionfor allowing forward (but not rearward) movement of the materialfollower and pusher means against the rear end of the longitudinallydisposed applicatory material in the lengthy aperture or passage is madepossible by reason of the fact that the material follower and pushermeans is provided with a digitallyengageable actuating portionpositioned exterior of the barrel means and by reason of the fact that aone-way toothed engagement means is included and has one portioneffectively connected with respect to said material follower and pushermeans and has another portion effectively connected with respect to saidbarrel means, with said two portions being cooperable with each otherfor allowing said forward movement of said material follower and pushermeans relative to said barrel means but being operable to positivelyprevent the reverse relative movement thereof, thus allowing thelongitudinally disposed applicatory material to be advanced forwardlyone step at a time so as to always have a forward portion projectingfrom the forward material-dispensing outlet of said lengthy aperture orpassage of said barrel means for the convenient forcible application ofthe projecting end of said applicatory material to any desired surface,which will be facilitated by reason of the fact that, when force isapplied to said projecting end of said applicatory material, it will notslide back into the lengthy aperture or passage in the barrel meanssince the one-way toothed engagement means will positively prevent this.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device ofthe character referred to hereinbefore, wherein the one-way toothedengagement means effectively comprises what might be termed linearratchet means with a first portion thereof taking the form of inclinedtooth means and with a second portion thereof taking the form ofoppositely directed and inclined tooth means positioned for forcibleresilient passing movement relative to each other in the forwarddirection of relative movement which occurs when said material followerand pusher means is moved in said forward direction toward saidmaterial-dispensing outlet, and positioned for nonpassing positiveinterlocking and movement-preventing engagement with respect tooppositely or rearwardly directed attempted relative movement of saidmaterial follower and pusher means away from said materialdispensingforward outlet of said lengthy aperture or passage in said barrel means.

it is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus ofthe character referred to hereinbefore, wherein the barrel means isprovided with longitudinal slot means and wherein said actuating portionof said material follower and pusher means is provided with a connectingpart extending laterally from the exterior of said barrel means into theinterior thereof and connected at said interior location to saidmaterial follower and pusher means.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device ofthe character referred to in the preceding object, wherein said firstand second portions of said oneway toothed engagement means, mentionedhereinbefore, are carried respectively by said connecting part of saidmaterial follower and pusher means and by a portion of said barrel meansextending along one side of said longitudinal slot means.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device ofthe character referred to hereinbefore, wherein the barrel means isprovided with a laterally directed entry opening for the entry andreception of an interior material following and pushing portion of saidmaterial follower and pusher means and extending from the exterior ofsaid barrel means into the interior of said barrel means and intocommunication with said lengthy aperture or passage carried within saidbarrel means adjacent to a material-receiving inlet portion at the rearend thereof; said barrel means being also provided with a similarlaterally directed exit opening for the exit and removal of saidinterior material following and pushing portion of said materialfollower and pusher means and extending from the exterior of said barrelmeans into the interior of said barrel means and into communication withsaid lengthy aperture or passage carried within said barrel meansadjacent to said material-dispensing outlet portion thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device ofthe character referred to in the preceding object, wherein said materialfollowing and pushing portion of said material follower and pusher meansis unsymmetrical about a transverse centrally positioned plane wherebyto effectively define a forward longitudinal asymmetry and directionalcharacteristic thereof and wherein each of said laterally directed entryand exit openings of said barrel means is similarly shaped; saidlongitudinal asymmetry and directional characteristic of said materialfollowing and pushing portion of said material follower and pusher meansbeing in a predetermined forward directional relationship relative tothe portion of said one-way toothed engagement means, mentionedhereinbefore as being effectively carried by said material follower andpusher means, whereby to allow only said forward movement thereofrelative to said barrel means in a direction extending toward saidmaterial-dispensing outlet portion of the lengthy aperture or passage insaid barrel means adapted to carry said longitudinally disposedapplicatory material therein.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device ofthe character referred to herein embodying any or all of the featuresreferred to herein, generically or specifically, individually or incombination, and which is of relatively simple, inexpensive,easy-to-use, and easy-tomanufacture construction capable of massproduction at relatively low cost whereby to be conducive to widespreaduse thereof.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which followshereinafter (which is to be considered as exemplary of, but notspecifically limiting, the present invention, and said objects will beapparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study of thedetailed description which follows hereinafter.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention, twoexemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in thehereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying single drawing sheetand are described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a perspective, three dimensional view illustrating oneexemplary embodiment of the invention in a normal operative or userelationship with respect to a quantity of longitudinally disposedapplicatory material, which is shown as taking the form of alongitudinal cylindrical applicatory member having a forward endprojecting slightly from the material dispensing outlet at the forwardend of the longitudinal barrel means of the exemplary form of the deviceillustrated. In other words, the device is shown in FIG. 1 in conditionfor applicatory use.

FIG. 2 is a perspective three-dimensional view of the exemplary form ofthe material follower and pusher means employed in the exemplaryembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1. This view illustrates saidmaterial follower and pusher means by itself either prior to engagementwith the longitudinal barrel means of FIG. 1 or after disengagementtherefrom.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal central plane sectional view, taken in thedirection of the arrows 3-3 of FIG. 1. However, the material followerand pusher means and the longitudinally disposed material adapted to bepushed forwardly thereby are shown in full side elevation rather than insection in this view.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view, taken in the direction of thearrows 4-4 of FIG. 3, and clearly illustrates a portion of one exemplarytype of one-way toothed engagement means which allows the materialfollower and pusher means to be advanced forwardly a step at a time bythe application of digital force thereto but which positively preventsrearward retraction thereof relative to the longitudinal barrel means.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken in the direction of the arrows55 of FIG. 3, and shows the longitudinal barrel means in cross section.However, the material follower and pusher means is shown in full rearelevation in this view and is shown in the act of being forwardlyadvanced one toothed step by the broken line fragmentary digital membershown in FIG. 5. It should be understood that the digital member maycomprise the thumb or any finger of the person operating the device.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation,and comprises a very substantial enlargement of the fragmentary forwardportion of FIG. 3 enclosed within the broken line circle designated at6. This view is primarily for the purpose of illustrating one exemplaryform of material retaining means carried by the forward end of thebarrel adjacent to the material discharge outlet of the longitudinalaperture thereof and adapted to resiliently engage the side of thelongitudinally disposed applicatory material whereby to prevent it fromaccidentally falling out of the discharge outlet by effectivelyretaining same within the longitudinal aperture by exerting a slightrestraining force thereagainst acting in opposition to forward advancingmovement of said applicatory material.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view generally similar to FIG. 6 butillustrating a slight modification of the material retaining means ofFIG. 6.

Generally speaking, the exemplary form of the invention illustrated inFIGS. 1-6 comprises a longitudinal barrel means, one form of which isgenerally indicated at 11, having a longitudinal aperture 12 thereinextending from a rear end 13 of the longitudinal barrel means 11 to aforward end 14 thereof and having a materialreceiving inlet 15 centrallycarried by said rear end 13 and having a material-dispensing outlet 16centrally positioned in said forward end 14 of said longitudinal barrelmeans 11.

The exemplary first form of the invention illustrated also includesmaterial follower and pusher means, one exemplary form of which isgenerally indicated at 17, as best shown in FIG. 2, which has a materialfollowing and pushing portion indicated at 18, as best shown in FIG. 2,of effective cross-sectional size and shape substantially the same asthat of said longitudinal aperture 12 carried within said longitudinalbarrel means 11 (although slightly smaller) whereby to be cooperable forinsertion thereinto and for slidable movement along the length of saidlongitudinal aperture 12 in a forward direction extending from saidmaterial-receiving inlet 15 toward said material-dispensing outlet 16thereof.

In said exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, said materialfollower and pusher means 17 is provided with a digitally engageableactuating portion 19 adapted to be positioned exterior of saidlongitudinal barrel means 11 for forcibly applied digital engagement, asis best shown in FIG. 5, whereby to forcibly advance said materialfollower and pusher means in the direction of the arrow indicated at 21in FIG. 1 and whereby to correspondingly forcibly advance thelongitudinally disposed material 22 positioned within the longitudinalaperture 12 in said forward direction, as indicated by the directionarrow 21 of FIG. 1.

It should be noted that, in the exemplary first form of the inventionillustrated, the above-mentioned longitudinally disposed material 22takes the form of a longitudinal cylindrical applicatory member whichmight comprise a wax or grease type marking member made up of arealtively rigid wax-carrying or grease-carrying matrix provided with avisibility discernable marking or coloring agent or the likedisseminated therethrough. However, the applicatory member 22 maycomprise various other kinds of applicatory members and is notnecessarily limited to such a wax or grease pencil type of markingmember in all forms of the invention.

It should be noted that, in the exemplary first form of the inventionillustrated, the above-mentioned positioning of the digitally engageableactuating portion 19 of the material follower and pusher means 17exterior of the longitudinal barrel means 11 for said forci-bily applieddigital engagement, as shown in FIG. 5, is made possible by reason ofthe fact that said longitudinal barrel means 11 is provided withlongitudinal slot means 23 extending along one side wall of thelongitudinal barrel means 11 and parallel to the longitudinal axis ofthe aperture 12.

Also, the above-mentioned relationship is made possible by reason of thefact that the digitally engageable actuating ortion 19 is connected tothe material following and pushing portion 18 of the material followerand pusher means 17 by a connecting part 24 which is relatively thin andwhich is adapted to extend laterally through said slot means 23 from theactuating portion 19 exterior of the longitudinal barrel means 11 intothe interior of said longitudinal barrel means 11 where it communicateswith said material following and pushing portion 18 positioned withinthe longitudinal aperture 12 within the longitudinal 5 barrel means 11.This is clearly shown in both FIGS. 3 and 5.

In order to provide for the above-mentioned forward movement only of thematerial follower and pusher means 17 relative to the longitudinalbarrel means 11, the device includes one-way engagement means which, inthe exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, is of a typecomprising linear, longitudinally arranged, toothed engagement means orratchet means, generally designated by the reference numeral 25 as bestshown in FIG. 4, and which comprises first and second portions 25A and25B, with said first portion 25A being carried by said connecting part24 of said material follower and pusher means 17 and with said secondportion 25B being carried along one edge of said longitudinal barrelmeans 12 defining one side of said longitudinal slot means 23 in aposition for said forward-movement-allowed andrearward-movement-prevented one-way engagement of said first and secondportions 25A and 25B of said oneway engagement means 25.

In other words, in the exemplary first form of the inventionillustrated, said first portion 25A of said one-way engagement means 25takes the form of a plurality of rearwardly and outwardly directed andinclined tooth means, designated by said reference numeral 25A, whilesaid second portion 25B of said one-way engagement means 25 takes theform of a plurality of forwardly and inwardly inclined tooth means, alsodesignated by said reference numeral 25B, with said teeth 25A and saidadjacent teeth 25B being normally engaged in a manner such as thatclearly shown in FIG. 4, but being adapted to allow relative forwardmovement of the plurality of teeth 25A carried by the material followerand pusher means 17 with respect to the other plurality of teeth 25Bcarried by the edge of the slot means 23 of the longitudinal barrelmeans 11 because of the resiliently defiectable nature of the materialforming same, which is preferably a defiectable plastic material adaptedto allow such forward movement of the first plurality of teeth 25Arelative to the second plurality of teeth 25B. However, any materialdeflectable enough for this purpose may be employed for either or bothsets of teeth 25A and/ or 25B.

While the one-way engagement means 25 of the first form of the inventionjust described provides a very effective arrangement for allowingrelative forward movement of the material follower and pusher means 17in the for ward direction indicated by the directional arrow 21 of FIG.1, it will readily be understood that it positively prevents oppositelydirected or relative rearward movement of said material follower andpusher means 17 with r respect to the longitudinal barrel means 117This, of course, means that force can be applied to the forward or tipend 26 of the longitudinally disposed applicatory material 22 during awriting operation, or other type of applicatory operation, since therear end 27 of said applicatory material 22 will be solidly and firmlyheld in position by the material following and pushing portion 18 of thematerial follower and pusher means 17, which will be held in saidposition by the positive backward movement preventing one-way engagementmeans 25.

Various means may be employed for placing the material following andpushing portion 18 of the material follower and pusher means 17 againstthe rear end 27 of the applicatory material 22. Also, various means maybe employed for repositioning the material follower and pusher means 17at the initial or starting position after it has been moved forwardly astep at a time until the applicatory material 22 has been abraded awayand used up at the front end 26 thereof and requires replacement orreplenishment. In certain cases, this may be made possible by using thematerial-receiving inlet 15 and the material-dispensing outlet 16 and byhaving the longitudinal slot means 23 extending therebetween from the 5rear end 13 of the longitudinal barrel means 11 to the front end 14thereof.

However, in the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, aslightly different arrangement is provided and comprises the inclusionof a laterally directed entry opening, indicated generally at 28, and alaterally directed exit opening, indicated generally at 29, positionedrespectively adjacent to the material-receiving inlet 15 of thelongitudinal barrel means 11 and adjacent to the material-dispensingoutlet 16 of the longitudinal barrel means 11 and, in each case,communicating the exterior of the barrel means with the longitudinalaperture or passage 12 comprising the hollow interior thereof.

The arrangement is such that the material following and pushing portion18 of the material follower and pusher means 17 can be laterallyinserted through the entry opening 28 into the longitudinal aperture orpassage 12 immediately behind the read end 27 of the longitudinallydisposed applicatory material 22, which has been previously insertedthrough the inlet 15 to a degree such as to have its rear end 27positioned forwardly of said entry opening 28. Then, after thepreviously described step-by-step forward advancing movement of thelongitudinally disposed applicatory material 22 to an extent such thatthe rear end 27 thereof lies just forwardly of said exit opening 29, thematerial following and pushing portion 18 of the material follower andpusher means 17 can be laterally removed from the longitudinal apertureor passage 12 by way of the exit opening 29. Then a new quantity oflongitudinally disposed applicatory material, similar to that shown at22, can be inserted through the rear inlet 15 to an extent such as topass the rear entry opening 28, and the material following and pushingportion 18 of the material follower and pusher means 17 can again belaterally inserted through the rear positioned entry opening 28 into aposition behind and in abutment with the rear end 27 of thelongitudinally disposed applicatory material 22 for repetition of thepreviously directed forward step-by-step feeding action of the materialfollower and pusher means 17 and the longitudinally disposed applicatorymaterial 22.

Incidentally, it should be noted that the positioning of the entry andexit apertures 29 may be varied from the arrangement illustrated in thefirst form of the invention shown in FIGS. l-6. For example, saidopenings may be positioned nearer to the rear and front ends 13 and 14of the longitudinal barrel means 11, if desired, or may be otherwisemodified within the broad spirit and scope of the present invention.

In the exemplary form of the invention illustrated, means is providedfor preventing an incorrect backward positioning of the materialfollowing and pushing portion 18 of the material follower and pushermeans 17 within the longitudinal aperture or passage 12. This will, ofcourse, prevent the improper positioning of the teeth 25A of the one-wayengagement means 25 and, in the exemplary first form of the inventionillustrated, this desirable objective is accomplished by reason of thefact that the material following and pushing portion 18 is unsymmetricalabout a transverse centrally positioned plane whereby to effectivelydefine a forward longitudinal asymmetry and directional characteristicthereof, which is effectively duplicated by similar shaping of the entryand exit openings 28 and 29.

It will be noted that said longitudinal asymmetry and directionalcharacteristic of the material following and pushing portion 18 isprovided by having a forward cylindrical portion 18F and a rearcylindrical portion 18R which are of different lengths and whichcorrespond exactly to corresponding cylindrical cutout portions 28F and23R of the entry opening 28, and 29F and 29R of the exit opening 29. Itis obvious that this makes it possible to insert the material followingand pushing portion 18 through the entry opening 28 in one directiononly,

this being a forward direction such as that indicated by the directionalarrow 21 of FIG. 1 and being in a predetermined relationship withrespect to the rearwardly and outwardly directed and inclined toothmeans 25A comprising the first portion of the one-way engagement means25. Said forward longitudinal asymmetry and directional characteristicis further indicated by reason of the fact that the digitally engageableactuating portion 19 has a forward arrow-like end portion 31 andsimulates in appearance a directional arrow, thus clearly indicating theproper direction in which to hold the material follower and pusher means17 when it is inserted through the entry opening 28 into thelongitudinal aperture or passage 12 behind the longitudinally disposedapplicatory material 22.

FIG. 6 merely illustrates one exemplary type of resilient retainingmeans, indicated at 32, and comprising an inwardly directed resilientlyoutwardly deflectable projection carried by the forward end 14 of thelongitudinal barrel means 11 in a position such that it will forciblyresiliently engage the side of the longitudinally disposed applicatorymaterial 22 as it is forced forwardly out of the outlet 16. Obviously,this will act as a retaining means and/or a restraining means preventingthe applicatory material 22 from accidentally and unintentionallyfalling out of said outlet 16, but will allow it to be forcibly advancedthrough said outlet 16 by forward step-by-step movement of the materialfollower and pusher means 17 in the manner described in detailhereinbefore.

FIG. 7 illustrates a slight modification of the retaining means 32 bestshown in FIG. 6, and all portions of this modification of the inventionare indicated by reference numerals similar to those of the first formof the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 and described in detailhereinbefore, but primed, however, in FIG. 7.

It will be noted that the only difference of this modification of theinvention is the fact that the retaining means 32' comprises a detentprojection formed at the forward end of the longitudinal aperture 12'and extends directly inwardly into the path of travel of thelongitudinally disposed applicatory material shown fragmentarily at 22whereby to retain and restrain same in a manner generally similar tothat described hereinbefore, although it may actually slightly pressinto and slightly deform one side surface thereof as it is forciblyextruded forward by reason of operation of a material follower andpusher means, such as shown at 17 in the first form of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 1-6.

It should be noted that the exemplary first form of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 1-6 is slightly distorted from its normalappearance in that it is shown somewhat shorter and somewhat wider thanwould normally be the case in most physical embodiments thereof. This isdone for reasons of drawing clarity and is not to be construed aslimiting the invention thereto.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific descriptionthereof set forth in this application are for the purpose ofillustrating the present invention and are not to be construed aslimiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specificstructure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore.Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantiallyequivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventiveconcept of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A holder and dispenser for longitudinally disposed material,comprising: barrel means having a lengthy aperture and passage thereinand having a material-receiving inlet at one location thereof and amaterial-dispensing outlet at another location thereof; materialfollower and pusher means having a material following and pushingportion cooperable for insertion into said lengthy aperture and passagein said barrel means and for slidable movement along the length thereofin a direction extending from sa d materialreceiving inlet toward saidmatcrial-dispensing outlet, said material follower and pusher meansbeing provided with a digitally engageable actuating portion positionedexterior of said barrel means for forcibly applied digital engagementwhereby to forcibly advance material received within said lengthyaperture and passage in said direction extending from said inlet towardsaid outlet; and one-way engagement means comprising first and secondportions, with said first portion being effectively carried by saidfollower and pusher means and with said second portion thereof beingeffectively carried by said barrel means, said first and second portionsof said one-way engagement means being effectively oppositely directedand cooperably positioned for forcible resilient passing movementrelative to each other in one direction of relative movement occurringwhen said follower and pusher means is moved in said direction extendingfrom said inlet toward said outlet and cooperably positioned fornon-passing positive interlocking and movement-preventing engagementwhen oppositely directed relative movement is attempted, said barrelmeans being provided with a following and pushing portion entry openingcommunicating the exterior of said barrel means with the interior ofsaid lengthy aperture and passage adjacent to said material-receivinginlet thereof, said barre-l means being provided with a following andpushing portion exit opening communicating the exterior of said barrelmeans with the interior of said lengthy aperture and passage adjacent tosaid materialdispensing outlet thereof.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said barrel means is providedwith lengthy slot means and said actuating portion of said follower andpusher means is provided with a connecting part extending laterally fromthe exterior of said barrel means into the interior thereof and therebeing connected to said following and pushing portion thereof, saidfollowing and pushing portion entry opening and said following andpushing portion exit opening being similarly laterally directed adjacentto opposite ends of said barrel means from the exterior thereof to thecorresponding portions of the interior of said lengthy aperture andpassage adjacent, respectively, to said material-receiving inlet thereofand said material-dispensing outlet thereof.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said following and pushingportion is unsymmetrical about a transverse centrally positioned planewhereby to effectively define a forward asymmetry and directionalcharacteristic thereof, with each of said laterally directed entry andexit openings of said barrel means being similarly shaped.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein said asymmetry anddirectional characteristic of said following and pushing portion are ina predetermined directional relationship relative to the first portionof said one-way engagement means carried by said follower and pushermeans whereby to allow only said forward movement thereof relative tosaid barrel means in said direction extending from said inlet towardsaid outlet of the lengthy aperture and passage in said barrel means.

5. A holder and dispenser for longitudinally disposed material in theform of a longitudinal member, comprising: longitudinal barrel meanshaving a longitudinal aperture and passage therein extending from a rearend thereof to a forward end thereof and having a material-receivinginlet at said rear end thereof and a material-dispensing outlet at saidforward end thereof; material follower and pusher means having amaterial following and pushing portion of substantially the samecross-sectional shape as, and slightly smaller size than, saidlongitudinal aperture and pasage in said barrel means and cooperable forinsertion thereinto and for slidable movement along the length thereofin a direction extending from said materialreceiving inlet toward saidmaterial-dispensing outlet; said material follower and pusher meansbeing provided with a digitally engageable actuating portion positionedexterior of said barrel means for forcibly applied digital engagementwhereby to forcibly advance longitudinally disposed material receivedwithin said longitudinal aperture and passage in said directionextending from said inlet toward said outlet; said barrel means beingprovided with longitudinal slot means and said actuating portion of saidfollower and pusher means being provided with a connecting partextending laterally from the exterior of said barrel means into theinterior thereof and there being connected to said following and pushingportion thereof; and one-Way toothed engagement means comprising firstand second portions, with said first portion being carried by saidconnecting part of said follower and pusher means and with said secondportion thereof being carried by said barrel means along the slot meansextending along the length of said barrel means, said one-Way toothedengagement means comprising a first portion taking the form of inclinedtooth means and a second portion taking the form of oppositely directedand inclined tooth means cooperably positioned for forcible resilientpassing movement relative to each other in one direction of relativemovement occurring when said follower and pusher means is moved in saiddirection extending from said inlet toward said outlet and cooperablypositioned for non-passing positive interlocking and movement-preventingen- 25 gagement when oppositely directed relative movement is attemptedsaid barrel means being provided with a laterally directed following andpushing portion entry opening communicating the exterior of said barrelmeans with the interior of said longitudinal aperture and passage ad- 30jacent to said material-receiving inlet thereof, said barrel means beingprovided with a laterally directed following and pushing portion exitopening communicating the exterior of said barrel means with theinterior of said longitudinal aperture and passage adjacent to saidmaterial- 3 dispensing outlet thereof.

6. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said following and pushingportion is unsymmetrical about a transverse centrally positioned planewhereby to effectively define a forward longitudinal asymmetry anddirectional characteristic thereof, with each of said laterally directedentry and exit openings of said barrel means being similarly shaped.

7. A device as defined in claim 6, wherein said longitudinal asymmetryand directional characteristic of said following and pushing portion arein a predetermined directional relationship relative to the firstportion of said one-way toothed engagement means carried by saidfollower and pusher means whereby to allow only said for- Ward rnovementthereof relative to said barrel means in said direction extending fromsaid inlet toward said outlet of the longitudinal aperture and passagein said barrel means.

8. A device as defined in claim '7, wherein said barrel means and saidfollower and pusher means are made of resiliently defiectable plasticmaterial.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 561,734 6/1896Steele. 595,498 12/1897 Rugeley l20-13 878,771 2/1908 Cushing 120192,501,612 3/1950 Nielsen 120-19 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,204,809 4/ 1959France.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

Examiners.

1. A HOLDER AND DISPENSER FOR LONGITUDINALLY DISPOSED MATERIAL,COMPRISING: BARREL MEANS HAVING A LENGTHY APERTURE AND PASSAGE THEREINAND HAVING A MATERIAL-RECEIVING INLET AT ONE LOCATION THEREOF AND AMATERIAL-DISPENSING OUTLET AT ANOTHER LOCATION THEREOF; MATERIALFOLLOWER AND PUSHER MEANS HAVING A MATERIAL FOLLOWING AND PUSHINGPORTION COOPERABLE FOR INSERTION IN TO SAID LENGTHY APERTURE AND PASSAGEIN SAID BARREL MEANS AND FOR SLIDABLE MOVEMENT ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOFIN A DIRECTION EXTENDING FROM SAID MATERIAL-RECEIVING INLET TOWARD SAIDMATERIAL- DISPENSING OUTLET, SAID MATERIAL FOLLOWER AND PUSHER MEANSBEING PROVIDED WITH A DIGITALLY ENGAGEABLE ACTUATING PORTION POSITIONEDEXTERIOR OF SAIDBARREL MEANS FOR FORCIBLY APPLIED DIGITAL ENGAGEMENTWHEREBY TO FORCIBLY ADVANCE MATERIAL RECEIVED WITHIN SAID LENGTHYAPERTURE AND PASSAGE IN SAID DIRECTION EXTENDING FROM SAID INLET TOWARDSAID OUTLET; AND ONE-WAY ENGAGEMENT MEANS COMPRISING FIRST AND SECONDPORTIONS, WITH SAID FIRST PORTION BEING EFFECTIVELY CARRIED BY SAIDFOLLOWER AND PUSHER MEANS AND WITH SAID SECOND PORTION THEREOF BEINGEFFECTIVELY CARRIED BY SAID BARREL MEANS, SAID FIRST AND SECONDPORTIONS, OF SAID ONE-WAY ENGAGEMENT MEANS BEING EFFECTIVELY OPPOSITELYDIECTED AND COOPERABLY POSITIONED FOR FORCIBLE RESILIENT PASSINGMOVEMENT OCCURRING WHEN ING ONE DIRECTION OF RELATIVE MOVEMENT OCCURRINGWHEN SAID FOLOWER AND PUSHER MEANS IS MOVED IN SAID DIRECTION EXTENDINGFROM SAID INLET TOWARD SAID OUTLET AND COOPERABLY POSITIONED FORNON-PASSING POSITIVE INTERLOCKING AND MOVEMENT-PREVENTING ENGAGEMENTWHEN OPPOSITELY DIECTED RELATIVE MOVEMENT IS ATTEMPTED, SAID BARRELMEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH A FOLLOWING AND PUSHING PORTION ENTRY OPENINGCOMMUNICATING THE EXTERIOR OF SAID BARREL MEANS WITH THE INTERIOR OFSAID LENGTHY APERTURE AND PASSAGE ADJACENT TO SAID MATERIAL-RECEIVINGINLET THEREOF, SAID BARREL MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH A FOLLOWING ANDPUSHING PORTION EXIT OPENING COMMUNICATING THE EXTERIOR OF SAIDBARRELMEANS WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID LENGTHY APERTURE AND PASSAGE ADJACENT TOSAID MATERIALDISPENSING OUTLET THEREOF.